Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation

About this programme

Despite serious efforts deployed at national and European level, the European Union sees significant internal disparities in terms of research and innovation performance. There is significant evidence pointing to the fact that the pathway to economic growth and competitiveness is strongly connected to the scaling up of investment in research and innovation.

In order to reduce the research and innovation gap, Horizon 2020 introduces specific measures for spreading excellence and widening participation. These measures are targeted at low-performing Member States in terms of research and innovation.

Widening consists of three main actions, i.e. Teaming, Twinning and ERA Chairs, for which specific eligibility conditions apply. This ensures a targeted approach towards Widening Member States and Associated Countries.

The Widening member states are: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Belgium is not identified as a Widening Member State but can partake as partner.

Click to read more 
Hide text 

Your NCP contact for this programme

Image of Man Hei To

Man Hei To

manhei.to@fwo.be

+32 2 550 15 55

Your PC contact for this programme

Find the contact info on the site of WEWIS

The National Contact Points (NCPs) provide support, guidance, and practical information to potential applicants, helping them navigate funding opportunities and application processes.

The Programme Committee (PC) members represent their country in decision-making about the work programmes, evaluate implementation, and provide strategic input on priorities and calls.

Latest news

Upcoming events

No events that are specifically related to Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation were found. Check the full calendar.

Infosheets

Infosheets contain edited content on aspects related to this programme. They are reviewed at least yearly.

    No infosheets available for this domain

Related links

Related links are easy pointers towards external information. We curate the list, but are not liable for the destinations.

Testimonial

image of EHRI-IP - European Holocaust Research Infrastructure

EHRI-IP - European Holocaust Research Infrastructure

The European Holocaust Research Infrastructure Implementation Phase (EHRI-IP) project was funded under Horizon Europe call topic HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-02. The project duration was two years and came to an end in February 2026. The main objective of the EHRI-IP project was to undertake all necessary legal, financial and strategic work to have a permanent organisation or ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) fully operational by the end of the implementation phase. The project consortium consisted of 14 partners from 13 countries. Read more about the project and the contribution of Flemish partner Kazerne Dossin in this testimonial.